Chapter 4 Summary

Jerome and Emma Lou bury Mrs. Grouch under a madrona tree in the back of his house. Emma Lou has to hold the angry Old Grouch back. He snarls but doesn't try to bite her. Emma Lou thinks a grave marker would be appropriate and Jerome offers to make one. With tears in her eyes, Emma Lou carries Old Grouch back inside where he growls at the babies who have gotten out of their box. Mama and Papa are on the table polishing off the shortcake.

Emma Lou insists that Jerome not carve "Mrs. Grouch" on the gravestone—Mrs. Grouch had never been grouchy. She asks him to carve an image of a raccoon. Underneath the image, Emma Lou decides that Mrs. Grouch should be referred to as Charmine, the name of a beautiful woman in a book she read. Under the name Charmine, "A Lovely...